Hi-Fix Gallery (2)
The military were also users of Hi-Fix. The following photographs were sent to me by Roger Basford, G3VKM who worked for Decca.Page 1 Page 2
Hi-Fix in support of the Royal Navy
To the left is the transmitting antenna with the transmitter in its Creeth case near the base of the mast. Over toward the right of the picture are the communications antenna (center loaded) and at the far right, the receiving antenna. Does the Land-Rover say 'Royal Navy' on its side?
When I tried to research the vessel I found to my surprise that there have been no less than 13 HMS Enterprises, the first being commissioned in 1705 and the latest in 2002. The one of interest here is that which was built in 1958 (my birth year, as it happens) by M. W. Blackmore & Sons of Bideford, and commissioned as one of Her Majesty's ships in 1959. She was 105ft by 23ft beam and had a draught of 7ft. Her twin Diesel engines could power her to a maximum speed of 14 knots, and her crew complement was 2 officers and 16 sailors.
She was built as an E-Class hydrographic survey vessel with a hull constructed of wooden laminate. She carried a type 1006 radar, Sonar for locating wrecks and other underwater features, and two fathometers for measuring the depth of the sea. She was 'paid off' (retired) from naval service in 1985, but was apparently involved in the search for the wreck of the Titanic in 1986, and now in a fully civilian role works out of Northern Ireland somewhere..
HMS Enterprise
Photo by kind permission of Arnold E. van Beverhoudt Jr.
Sea of Hebrides
This photo is labelled 'Slave 2, Sea of the Hebrides chain, Isle of Tiree, 1970' (Multimap link: Tiree is the island circled in red). It looks as though the transmitter has literally just been unpacked from its wooden packing crate! Another antenna can be seen to the right, it isn't clear which this is but it's most likely the receiver antenna.
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Please note: the Hi-Fix photographs on this page are used by kind permission of Roger Basford and must not be used elsewhere without prior consent.
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Last update 21/5/05 AC